Sharing economy firms must mobilise the public to fight regulation-hungry politicians August 18, 2016 An increasing number of politicians and commentators are starting to look at the sharing economy as an exploitative one. Once apparently loved by all, it is being portrayed as unregulated and unfair – undermining hard-working people, reducing crucial tax revenue and ignoring the concerns of ordinary people whenever it is necessary. The latest furore in the [...]
How to cure “always on” staff burnout? Take a leaf out of nineteenth-century Cadbury’s book August 4, 2016 The modern workforce has become accustomed to putting in long hours. Created by years of employment uncertainty, born out of the 2008 financial crisis, and fuelled recently by the great unknown of a looming Brexit, “presenteeism” has become a mainstay of the British employee. Research last week by Concur shows that, thanks to the rise of [...]
Google’s Apple Pay rival Android Pay is finally here in the UK May 18, 2016 Good news for anyone eager to pay using just the swipe of their mobile, but who doesn't own an iPhone. Google's Android Pay is launching in the UK today, bringing the tap and pay technology to millions of smartphone users across the country. A rival to Apple Pay which launched last year, the app lets users pay by [...]
The gig economy should matter to professionals: Here’s why July 6, 2016 For anyone living or working in London, it is almost impossible to have missed the rapid emergence of the gig economy in recent years. You can’t move for Uber taxis, Deliveroo scooter drivers and Airbnb accommodation, which have spawned a generation of independent workers servicing on-demand markets. But, for those working in professional services, the trend [...]
The workers’ Euros: Which side has won the argument on employment? June 16, 2016 The crucial game started well for the Leave team. They pressed the Remain team high up the pitch and, for at least the first half of the game, the Remain team were slow to respond. The Leave team said that there would be a “bonfire of Brussels regulations” and that this would free businesses from Brussels [...]
No-click-to-buy apps are a risk, but the rewards will be worth it July 22, 2016 Payments have come a long way, fast. In April, Domino’s began offering “zero-click ordering”, which allows customers to re-order a pizza simply by opening an app, removing the need for in-app tapping. There are now so many payment methods – contactless mobile, card and watch payments, swipes and taps on a mobile screen – it [...]
Business and entrepreneurs pile pressure on Sadiq over Uber red tape August 14, 2016 Business groups and entrepreneurs have piled the pressure on the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, warning that new rules clamping down on Uber will stifle innovation in the capital and its multi-billion pound digital economy as he attempts brand the city "open for business". New rules have drawn the ire of business groups and tech entrepreneurs, who labelled them a backwards step that threatened the [...]
Take that, banks: The UK’s online financial marketplaces attracted $253m in VC money last year as LendInvest, Transferwise and Funding Circle made their mark March 29, 2016 Financial marketplaces – crowdfunding platforms and other fintech sites – have proven irresistible to the City, it turns out, after figures released today showed venture capital funding for the sector has shot up five-fold in the last two years. Data released today by payment startup Stripe showed investors are backing developers in their bid to reshape how people buy and sell [...]
Google’s Android Pay is coming to the UK, letting you pay with mobile on the Tube and across the high street, including Pret, Starbucks, Waitrose and more March 23, 2016 Users of Android will soon be able to use their smartphone to pay for items and even travel to work, as Google prepares to launch Android Pay in the UK following hot on the heels of Apple Pay. Google said it will roll out "in the coming months" with the backing of Britain's biggest banks, but did not [...]
EU referendum: Hundreds of tech startups and entrepreneurs have signed this Brexit open letter April 20, 2016 Hundreds of entrepreneurs and founders of tech startups in the UK have warned that Brexit risks undermining their businesses and would be “hugely damaging”. The founders of many of the Britain’s hottest startups such as Deliveroo, Digital Shadows, Transferwise and Blippar along with well known entrepreneurs including newly appointed Twitter board member Martha Lane Fox and Arnaud Massenet, founder of [...]